Thriller Zone: From the Mental Hospital to the Ghostly World

It's time for a pleasant break!

Although Chen Ji didn't know when the next domain would arrive, he still cherished this precious time.

Three weeks have passed since the appearance of the Painted Skin Ghost.

So much has happened in these three weeks.

Before all of this happened, Chen Ji was just a somewhat withdrawn senior high school student.

I go to class on time every day, go home, play with the neighbor's dog for a while, and then cook for myself.

It's quite ordinary...

But there's also a sense of loneliness.

After all, he had been living alone since he was eleven years old.

Because he has lived independently since childhood, Chen Ji's personality is quite different from his peers, and he has basically no friends at school.

However, the appearance of the Painted Skin Ghost and Tang Qin shattered his seven-year-long peace.

First, his mother, who had died ten years ago, reappeared. Then, he was arrested for matricide and imprisoned in a mental hospital.

After finally escaping, they stepped into the domain twice more.

Until now...

Only then did he truly relax.

Lying on the sofa in Du Tingfeng's villa, I smelled the fragrance of tuberose.

Chen Ji's tense body finally relaxed at this moment.

Du Tingfeng slumped down next to him, occasionally picking up some fruit from the table to eat, his face showing the same laziness.

He wouldn't be able to enter the next domain for at least another twenty days, so he wasn't feeling any pressure at the moment.

"Although I don't know what exactly happened in your domain this time..."

Du Tingfeng suddenly spoke up; he had been thinking about what Chen Ji had mentioned earlier.

"However, I can tell you that I have never encountered such a domain before."

"None of the realm-enterers I know are like that."

After thinking for a moment, Du Tingfeng added:

"A domain is a small world; it is either completely illogical or has a very complete overall worldview."

"The former, the ghosts you encounter are often the first type I mentioned before."

"They are irrational, extremely malicious, and kill anyone they see."

"The latter is actually telling a story. If you can find the hidden background and way out in the story, you can pass the level."

At this point, he tossed his chips into the air:

"For example, the domain where I obtained the artifact tells a story that takes place in a casino."

Due to domain restrictions, Chen Ji was unable to recount what happened in Li Ting's apartment.

He could only mention it briefly, as there are still many unsolved mysteries surrounding this domain.

Judging from Du Tingfeng's experience, if a domain has any logic, all the puzzles must be solved when clearing the level, otherwise there will be no way to survive.

However, Liding Apartments is clearly an anomaly.

However, Du Tingfeng believes that Chen Ji doesn't need to worry too much about this.

His words were very direct:

"Now that you've cleared the game, there's no going back. Knowing the remaining clues is irrelevant."

"Simply put, the unsolved puzzles of the last domain are no longer your concern."

Chen Ji said, "That's true."

He understood the reasoning, but what truly unsettled him was the inexplicable chill that crept over him after leaving the Liting Apartments.

However, this anomaly can never be solved, even though Chen Ji and Zuo Shiming have already checked it.

There was nothing at the ferry crossing.

"Don't think about this."

"You've finally made it back alive, take a rest."

Du Tingfeng said, moving closer to Chen Ji.

He had noticed earlier that Chen Ji was numbly tapping away on his phone.

"......"

"Dude, it's 2024, why are people still playing match-3 games?"

Du Tingfeng was speechless for a moment.

Don't you find this kind of repetitive game relaxing?

Chen Ji stretched and closed the game with a tired expression.

He also felt a bit bored, but really didn't want to use his brain anymore.

No.

"Come on, let's play some other games."

Du Tingfeng said, pulling Chen Ji toward the study.

He did keep his word from the school he attended during his repeat year of high school. Apart from occasionally going out to visit his sister, he spent most of his time at home playing video games to relax.

Chen Ji nodded, and was about to get up when he suddenly remembered something.

"Where's Sister Yu?"

Aside from seeing Du Muyu when he first returned home, he hadn't seen that gentle figure since.

"at work."

Du Tingfeng said, glancing upstairs.

A fleeting hint of worry crossed his eyes, but it was quickly concealed.

".....oh."

Chen Ji didn't ask any more questions.

He keenly noticed the unusual look in Du Tingfeng's eyes.

The study was very tidy and lit with a dark purple light.

Chen Ji looked around and suddenly paused.

On the innermost of the two gaming tables, there was a hospital bag prominently displayed.

A stack of papers was placed on top.

That was a thick stack of hospital lab reports.

Du Tingfeng followed his gaze and suddenly fell silent.

He immediately put the report into his bag, and after a while, he spoke quickly.

"That's my sister's report card."

"...What's wrong with her?" Chen Ji's heart tightened.

With so many tests required, it's clearly not a simple illness.

"Congenital disease".

Du Tingfeng simply said, "It's not easy to treat."

After that, he didn't offer any further explanation, and his face remained expressionless.

The two sat in front of the computer and fell silent for a moment.

Chen Ji lowered his head, opened his mouth, as if to say something.

A sudden, inexplicable sense of dread rose within him.

It was like he was on a very cold winter's day, finally managing to get close to a campfire...

But that flame was about to burn out completely.

Chen Ji had experienced this feeling of coldness when he was eight years old, after learning of his parents' deaths.

He didn't want anything to happen to any of the Du siblings...

When everyone else believed Chen Ji was guilty, only they did not treat him differently.

Instead, they completely trust each other, just like family.

"rest assured."

Du Tingfeng glanced at Chen Ji, his voice calm: "I'm confident, everything will be fine."

"Ah."

Chen Ji closed his eyes, his subconscious trying to convince him to believe Du Tingfeng's words.

He hoped that the Du siblings could be used as bargaining chips by Du Tingfeng...

They were blessed with good fortune.

"Okay, let's not talk about this anymore."

Du Tingfeng didn't seem to be greatly affected by the topic; he smiled and patted Chen Ji on the shoulder.

"Let's start the game, do you have an account?"

Chen Ji forced a smile:

"Yes, but if I actually publish it, the police will be knocking on my door tomorrow."

"It's okay, you can use mine."

Du Tingfeng said, and logged into Chen Ji's game account.

"...fuck."

Although Chen Ji was still a little uncomfortable, he was immediately dazzled by Du Tingfeng's game rank.

He quickly wiped the sweat from his palms; this was Chen Ji's first time playing games with friends.

You need to play well.

Fifteen minutes later...

"The feel isn't quite right," Du Tingfeng said casually.

Fifteen minutes later...

"Our jungler doesn't know how to play." Du Tingfeng said with certainty.

The third fifteen minutes later.

Du Tingfeng complained, "How can we win if my teammates don't have any awareness?"

Chen Ji: "......."

Du Tingfeng smiled confidently: "I'll play C next time."

After saying that, he selected his signature hero for the third time.

Swift Swordsman.

........

Two hours later.

Chen Ji's face turned ashen, and he got up and left the study immediately.

"Hey, why did you stop playing?"

Du Tingfeng was a little confused. Before he could even get up, he received a WeChat message.

This comes from Chen Ji, who has already returned to his bedroom.

Bro, you're really bad.

.......

Chen Ji sat on the sofa in his bedroom, put down his phone, and sighed heavily.

He truly hadn't expected that Du Tingfeng's dazzling skill level was achieved through financial power.

After playing a few games, Chen Ji not only failed to get a good rest, but also ended up with a painful sore chest from anger.

He felt that several hours of his life had been wasted.

"never mind."

Chen Ji shook his head and took out a pen from his pocket.

Ever since he left the domain, the pen had been twitching every now and then, as if trying to get his attention.

After the pen was taken out, it slowly swayed in mid-air.

After a long while, it finally fell into Chen Ji's hands, where he wrote:

I thought I'd never see you again.

I can't believe you actually escaped!

--------

Thank you everyone for enjoying this book!